Suit
1964 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This suit’s unusual combination of a bold check in pink, heather and brown and a rose-patterned chiné silk creates a lively juxtaposition. The sympathetic hues of the fabrics bring together the otherwise contrasting linear check with the soft, organic floral print. The matching silk blouse is sleeveless but, characteristically, Chanel has added cuffs of the floral silk onto the jacket to create the illusion of a long-sleeved blouse underneath. French singer and actor Juliette Gréco (1927–2020) ordered a version of this vibrant suit from Chanel’s Spring/Summer 1960 collection. Known for her style, Gréco was a regular at Chanel’s salons and was frequently photographed wearing Chanel suits and evening dresses in the press throughout the 1960s. She also wore Chanel on screen in films such as Where the Truth Lies (1962), including a cream tweed suit featuring the same V-shaped appliqué detailing on the pockets as this 1960 suit.
The matching silk blouse of this suit ensemble is sleeveless, but Chanel has created the illusion of a long-sleeved top underneath by adding false cuffs to the jacket in the same floral printed silk.
The matching silk blouse of this suit ensemble is sleeveless, but Chanel has created the illusion of a long-sleeved top underneath by adding false cuffs to the jacket in the same floral printed silk.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Suit of checked wool and printed silk, Gabrielle Chanel, Haute Couture, Paris, Spring/Summer 1964 |
| Physical description | A suit consisting of a sleeveless blouse of silk printed with a floral pattern and a jacket and skirt of checked wool in shades of pink and grey. The suit jacket is lined with corresponding printed silk and features four patch pockets with silk trimmings and gold gilt buttons. The blouse has a tie collar. |
| Production type | Haute couture |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by CHANEL |
| Object history | A version of this suit was owned and worn by French singer and actor Juliette Gréco, a client of Chanel in that period. Gréco's suit was sold at an auction of her wardrobe held by Paris auction house Crait-Müller in November 2021. The version of the suit in the V&A's collection differs slightly as it features a tie at the collar of the blouse, whereas Gréco’s version had a small notch opening on the otherwise plain neckline. |
| Summary | This suit’s unusual combination of a bold check in pink, heather and brown and a rose-patterned chiné silk creates a lively juxtaposition. The sympathetic hues of the fabrics bring together the otherwise contrasting linear check with the soft, organic floral print. The matching silk blouse is sleeveless but, characteristically, Chanel has added cuffs of the floral silk onto the jacket to create the illusion of a long-sleeved blouse underneath. French singer and actor Juliette Gréco (1927–2020) ordered a version of this vibrant suit from Chanel’s Spring/Summer 1960 collection. Known for her style, Gréco was a regular at Chanel’s salons and was frequently photographed wearing Chanel suits and evening dresses in the press throughout the 1960s. She also wore Chanel on screen in films such as Where the Truth Lies (1962), including a cream tweed suit featuring the same V-shaped appliqué detailing on the pockets as this 1960 suit. The matching silk blouse of this suit ensemble is sleeveless, but Chanel has created the illusion of a long-sleeved top underneath by adding false cuffs to the jacket in the same floral printed silk. |
| Bibliographic reference | Cullen, Oriole and Karol Burks, Connie. "Gabrielle Chanel". London: V&A Publishing, 2023
p 215
This suit’s unusual combination of a bold check in pink, heather and brown and a rose-patterned chiné silk creates a lively juxtaposition. The sympathetic hues of the fabrics bring together the otherwise contrasting linear check with the soft, organic floral print. The matching silk blouse is sleeveless but, characteristically, Chanel has added cuffs of the floral silk onto the jacket to create the illusion of a long-sleeved blouse underneath. French singer and actor Juliette Gréco (1927–2020) ordered a version of this vibrant suit from Chanel’s Spring/Summer 1960 collection. Known for her style, Gréco was a regular at Chanel’s salons and was frequently photographed wearing Chanel suits and evening dresses in the press throughout the 1960s. She also wore Chanel on screen in films such as Where the Truth Lies (1962), including a cream tweed suit featuring the same V-shaped appliqué detailing on the pockets as this 1960 suit. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.74:1 to 3-2023 |
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| Record created | June 1, 2022 |
| Record URL |
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